Chapter 196 : Chapter 196
Chapter 196 : The Great War (6)
Nero's words made me think about a lot of things.
“It's not that I don't hope to return to Earth either.”
That was one of the thoughts I hadn't voiced until now.
Some Players in this world would want to return to their hometown, and others wouldn't.
Which side am I on?
If I had to classify, I also wanted to return to the world where I was originally.
“Right! You're a friend who communicates better than I thought, aren't you? But why did you make such a choice?”
“Just because I want to go back, is there a need to keep the door to this world open?”
“Hmm, that's not wrong. But originally, an entrance is bound to serve as an exit too, right? If we close such a thing carelessly, who knows if we might not be able to return later?”
“If that were possible, it would have happened already.”
“That's interesting.”
The will of unknown origin dwelling in the Ascension Stone Fragment wants this world and Earth to be connected.
Nero, presumed to have reached Level 7 Authority, must know this fact, yet he was intentionally not mentioning it.
“Don't you know as well? Even if we can return to Earth, what will happen if the door opens.”
“Well, at most a few demonic beasts would cross over. Would that be a problem for us? It's better to look at what we'll gain instead.”
“You should know that it's not just demonic beasts that can cross over, right?”
Nero's expression became strange.
There are not just demonic beasts in this world, but also the natives of this world and several transcendental beings.
If those things could influence Earth, what on earth would happen?
“Look, in this world, things like demons have already been running wild. But look at it now. The Empire is prospering, and the Eastern Union was living quite well until recently. The results and reality prove it, so what on earth is the problem?”
“Who knows. Isn't it natural to be afraid because we don't know?”
“Ahaha, you're more cowardly than you look. If you can't move forward because it's dangerous, how would great discoveries and inventions be made? Sometimes there are times when you have to overcome fear.”
“Even if all of this is a trick orchestrated according to some being's intention?”
“Even if that were the case, wouldn't there be a great meaning in its own way?”
There was not a shred of doubt in Nero's voice as he spoke.
That was a powerful conviction, and also a fanaticism towards something.
“Have you never thought that you are being used by that great meaning?”
“No. Our interests just coincided. That great meaning wants the door to open, and I want to return to Earth. Nothing difficult about that, right?”
“Even if you have to pay a certain sacrifice for it?”
“Originally, this dog-like world is like that, isn't it? If there's something you want, you have to pay a fitting sacrifice. Don't you think so?”
Nero giggled as if he found it amusing as he said that.
I had only one thing to say to such Nero.
“It seems I can't be with you after all.”
“Hmm, that's a bit of a shame. I thought we could communicate for a change…… You had a very wrong idea, huh?”
“Do you think I'm wrong?”
“Tremendously.”
“Coincidence. I was thinking similarly.”
“Haha! Really? In that sense, I guess you and I fit quite well.”
At that moment.
Thud…….
The corpse of the Demonic person Nero's consciousness was dwelling in began to slowly crumble.
“Ah, darn. It seems time is up. This magic is good and all, but the duration is just too short…….”
Nero smacked his lips as if it was a shame.
“Let's promise to finish the rest of the talk next time. It seems we have quite a lot left to say to each other.”
Nero's dead eyes, moving here and there, soon turned to Luna.
“And it seems we also have words left to say, right, Luna?”
“Ugh…….”
“Then, see you all later.”
With those last words, the body connected to Nero went limp again and returned to being a corpse.
Only then did Luna open and close her mouth like a goldfish, looking at me and the fallen Demonic person's corpse in turn.
“W-What was that just now?”
“Is it your first time seeing the Magic of the Dead? It's just that kind of magic, so don't mind it.”
“How can I not mind that just now? A corpse came back to life and chattered on its own. On top of that, he figured out I betrayed him!”
“Did you betray him?”
“……I don't think I've done it yet, but anyway, they know it that way over there! What do I do now!”
Luna stomped her feet with a face that looked like she would burst into tears at any moment.
“Don't act like a child.”
“Age-wise, it hasn't been long since I became an adult! Effectively, I am a child!”
“Where in the world is there a child who calls themselves a child?”
“There's one right here!”
“Weren't you planning to terminate the contract anyway? Then there's no problem.”
“Contract termination is termination, and Gray Clouds is practically the center of the Hall of Subjugation now! I betrayed a guy like that, do you think he'll leave me alone?!”
“Then go find him right now and beg for forgiveness or something.”
“……You're saying that knowing I can't do it, right?”
“Of course.”
“You trash.”
Luna looked at me with an expression of sincere contempt.
The sight was somewhat funny, so I thought about teasing her a bit more, but I decided to stop because I didn't know when this crybaby would burst into tears if I left her like this.
“Don't worry.”
“How can I not worry about this!”
“You will be able to return home safely. I promise you.”
I didn't know what choice I would make in the future, but I could promise Luna at least this much.
Luna will be able to return home.
Because I will make it so.
“……What?”
“It seems I'll have to meet Nero once. Is the hideout of Gray Clouds the same as before?”
“Wait! What do you mean by what you said just before?”
“Before that, it would be better to organize the situation in the Imperial Capital first.”
“Hey!”
I looked at Luna.
Luna's trembling eyes were speaking on her behalf about the anxiety she was harboring right now.
“There is no need to worry too much.”
So, this was the only thing I could say to her right now.
“Everything will work out well.”
***
Winter Castle Kreutz.
It seemed that the proud name of the shield protecting the Empire would not be usable as of today.
Because the pride held by Winter Castle Kreutz was shattered by the hands of the intruders who came a while ago.
“…….”
Edric looked at the horrible scene unfolding before his eyes with miserable feelings.
There were only five intruders.
However, about 1/3 of the Winter Castle forces were mobilized to deal with those five intruders, and half of them were killed in action.
1/6 of the Winter Castle power was swept away by five people.
Edric saw it.
The ominous and unpleasant energy and terrible magic they used.
Also, the sense of crisis he felt while directly clashing swords was something he had felt only a few times in his long life.
With the recent atmosphere of the Demonic Realm being unusual, a loss of this scale was painful even for the Winter Castle.
Therefore, Lord Margrave hurriedly sent a messenger to the Imperial Family to request support, and the discharge of soldiers who were scheduled to be discharged soon was indefinitely postponed.
“……Damn it. Why am I still here?”
“I agree.”
“Is Vell doing well?”
“He must be doing well. Surely better than us who can't even get discharged.”
“……That is true too.”
Conlan, Albino, and Alicia, who were scheduled for discharge after establishing great merit, also became victims of the discharge postponement.
“Hey, Captain.”
“Speak.”
“Is Winter Castle going to ruin?”
“……Hmm, I want to ask what kind of nonsense question is that, but in a situation like now, it's hard to even say that.”
“So it is going to ruin. Damn it.”
“I didn't say it's going to ruin. I'm just saying the current situation isn't easy.”
“Then can't you just let us go? It seems the discharge date has passed long ago anyway.”
“I want to do that, but since it's Margrave's strict order, I can't help it. Can I let you discharge in a situation where every single person is needed?”
Conlan's expression rotted away.
“Then when on earth can we be discharged?”
“I wouldn't know.”
“Can you speak so irresponsibly?”
“Would I do that? But for me, I can only say please wait. The situation isn't good, is it?”
“Ugh.”
Edric, who was listening to Conlan's complaints as usual, smiled bitterly.
It wasn't that Edric liked the current situation at all.
No, rather, he was feeling a certain sense of crisis.
‘Certainly…… I can't do this anymore.’
The world is changing too rapidly.
To the point where even Edric can no longer turn away from the past he had put off.
It is common for the Winter Castle to be attacked, but it has rarely been attacked by beings that resemble humans rather than demonic beasts.
This is because the location of the Winter Castle itself was situated with the Demonic Realm to the north and the Eastern Mountains to the east.
But now the situation has changed.
The Winter Castle began to be attacked by beings other than demonic beasts, and the Winter Castle was placed in a dilemma.
What would happen if the Winter Castle collapsed?
The demonic beasts pouring out from the Demonic Realm would cover the Empire in an instant, and the world would fall into great chaos.
“Tsk.”
Edric felt that he could no longer avoid meeting her.
“I really don't want to go…….”
Thinking of her, Edric shuddered without realizing it.
To that extent, that memory was a fond memory, but in a sense, it was also a nightmare.
“……Sigh.”
Nevertheless, Edric accepted the fact that it couldn't be helped and turned his steps.
Because he had to report to Lord Margrave before leaving.
‘I wonder if she's doing well.’
Now, it was time to meet her.
The noble Queen of the Forest.
***
It didn't take that long to clear up the remnants in the Imperial Capital.
The Imperial Family stepped forward in earnest, and above all, the support troops from Bellerophon swept away the Demonic persons.
Like that, the chaos of the Empire was barely calmed down, and I could meet Yuliana who was leading the troops of Bellerophon.
“Vell Blackwood, you were safe.”
“Right. Is the situation organized?”
“Roughly. But there are those we missed, so a separate pursuit team is chasing them.”
“What about the damage?”
“……We are still assessing it, but it's substantial. The Imperial Capital Guard was annihilated, and two of the Divine Beast Knights were wiped out. There were even casualties among the Imperial Family.”
“I see.”
The attack of the Hall of Subjugation resulted in greater damage than I thought.
Of course, if we consider it that way, the Hall of Subjugation which lost quite a few high-level Demonic persons could be said to have suffered significant bleeding too, but the problem was that there were still countless Demonic persons in the Hall of Subjugation.
“What does Bellerophon intend to do now?”
“Since the situation has become like this, we can't just stay still either. A war will break out.”
Yuliana seemed to have been worrying about herself until now, but it seemed she had completely made up her mind due to this attack.
“Have you grasped the Hall of Subjugation?”
“To some extent.”
“That's good. I'll help too.”
“……Thank you. I always only receive help.”
“It will be comfortable if you think of it as a transaction.”
Since I had business with Nero anyway.
“I'd be grateful if you did. By the way…… I've been bothered since earlier, but who is the person behind you?”
“Ah, do you mean Luna?”
“……Did you say Luna?”
And as I stepped aside slightly, naturally Yuliana's and Luna's gazes met.
“You……!”
Yuliana widened her eyes, drew her sword, and aimed it at Luna.
“Gray Witch!”
“Wow, were you a Lady Witch?”
When I spoke teasingly towards Luna, Luna's face turned red as if it would explode.